The Price of Unity
by Huntress of Wonderland
Summary: Wolf AU. Everything has settled in the Storybrooke Pack. No danger, no threats, no evil. However, peace is always short-lived. Dark forces are meddling in the lives of the Pack; trusts broken, alliances torn, love found, and love lost. Storybrooke is tested as evil rears its ugly head and threatens everything everyone has worked for. SwanQueen, Redbeauty, and more.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! Long time no see to everyone who knows me. I have returned with my newfound obsession- SwanQueen. Out of the 10,000 fics about them, I do not believe that this has been done yet, since I'm going for originality. This will most likely be a long fic but probably updated at random, since school and motivation are factors. It starts with a little OQ but trust me that won't last long. I will also add that if you are a huge fan of Hook or Robin, and think they are just the greatest, then this might not be a story for you. I don't bash them, but they aren't exactly praised. Also, this prob will not have magic. Anyway, Enjoy~_

 **Chapter 1:**

The midday sun shone vibrantly over Storybrooke, penetrating the vast canopies of the great oaks and pines that were scattered throughout the small town, creating dappled patches of sunlight in shaded areas. Pine needles and a variety of leaves littered the bases of the trees while others began to fall on upon rooftops of homes and shops. The autumn breeze gently blew the leaves, causing them to dance in the air before skittering on the ground and tumbling in the old paved main road, also known as Main Street, before repeating the seemingly endless cycle. However, some leaves were unlucky as they were alienated from there natural ways as they were flattened by the heeled boots of the Mayor of Storybrooke. Her black coat hugged her body and a burgundy scarf that adorned her neck fended away the chill of fall. With a purse in hand, Regina briskly strutted down Main Street giving polite nods and smiles to the citizens she passes.

As she glanced around the suburban town Regina could not help but to notice the extent of Storybrooke's prosperity. Never before has life been so kind to her. After the many hardships that she has encountered to create the town, the former queen was now content.

Remembering her objective, Regina continued her trek, making a few turns here and there, passing the lake where a variety of waterfowl swam gracefully. She looked wistfully at the old bench overlooking the water scene. Following the dirt path into a forested area, the mayor admired the colors of autumn. She breathed in the chilling air that slightly nipped at her nose, inhaling the crisp scent of leaves and earthy soil.

A short time later, a feint rustling met Regina's ears, soon accompanied by random guttural sounds and yaps. Advancing towards an area where the trees began to disperse, the mayor noticed the sounds becoming louder.

As she entered a clearing, Regina's eyes widened at the spectacle occurring in the middle of the field. A large blur of sandy white swiftly bounded across the field before leaping and crashing into a young wolf. The pup recovered fairly quickly, rolling away from the larger canine and crouching into a defensive stance. The adult wolf barred its teeth in a menacing grin, flashing razor like canines at its outmatched opponent. Despite the odds, the pup lunged at its foe with what looked like unwavering bravery, aiming for a large front paw. The adult easily saw this and readied itself for a counter. Utilizing its swift and agile body, the pup juked the white wolf, maneuvered behind the large beast, and clamped its sharp fangs onto its opponent's fluffy tail. With a deafening howl, the large wolf trotted through the grass, causing the pup, which held firm on its grip, to drag behind it.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Regina looked on disapprovingly at the scene that continued to play out before her. With a roll of her eyes and a shake of the head, the woman called out at the two animals.

"Henry Daniel Mills!" the call made the pup let go of its new chew toy, affectively tumbling on the grassy terrain before skidding to a halt. The young wolf looked at Regina attentively, tilting its head to the side and an ear flopping over. Looking at him made the woman think back to when he was much smaller, clumsier, and more innocent.

"What have I told you time and time again?" an eyebrow rose in anticipation.

The pup sighed, tilting his ears back and pawing at the ground, "I know, I know. No roughhousing in pub-"

"Always go for the throat," the Queen interrupted with a smirk adorning her red lips before flicking her head in the direction of the great white wolf, who was trying to fix the fur around its tail. Henry perked up in eagerness before hurdling over to his unaware adversary. With a growl, he sprung at his attacker's throat as his mother directed and tackled it to the ground. The adult wolf, sprawled out on its back yowled and whined in defeat.

"Alright, kid! You got me, now get those razors out of my neck!" the white wolf joked and, after Henry released his hold on her scruff, rose to her paws and shook out her dirty pelt. Henry's tail wagged as he pranced about his birth mother in jubilation, before rearing his head back and releasing a high-pitched victory howl.

Regina applauded her son as she approached the canines. "Well done Henry! You are improving remarkably."

Henry trotted up to his mother, his head nearly reaching her shoulder and gave what would be a cheeky smile, "Yeah," he said before looking over his shoulder at the white wolf that also made her way over to them, "but Ma wasn't even trying again."

Emma, her massive head reaching a bit above the mayor's own, stretched out her lithe yet muscular and bulky form. "I'm not going to kill you while I'm training you to become a capable Alpha, kid. Later on when you are more adept with your skills and body then I'll up your exercises."

"She's right Henry; one day you will be a fine leader to Storybrooke. It takes various characteristics to be an Alpha, let alone the Alpha male. Being able to fight takes years to master but it is a necessity," Regina added, giving Henry's head a pat as she turned her attention to Emma, who has decided to take a load off and plop down in the grass. "Has our son really tired you out Miss Swan?"

Emma huffed a laugh, "We've been out here since nine this morning and I had night patrol last night."

"Well, be sure to rest up for tomorrow morning, I don't want to have you dragging behind or falling asleep on your paws."

"Why can't I go on patrol with you guys?" Henry asked with a whine.

"We've talked about this kid," Emma said as she lifted her off her paws, "You're still too young to be prancing about the woods."

"But you'll both be there! Nothing has happened since Zelena."

"And heaven forbid if something _were_ to happen," Regina reasoned, her maternal instincts raging "If anything happened to-"

An ear-piercing howl resonated in the clearing as another wolf raced toward the trio. He was large, bigger and bulkier than Emma, with brown and russet fur that shone in the sunlight. The scent that accompanied the newcomer made Emma sigh and caused her green eyes to roll in annoyance before laying her head back down on her paws.

 _Great, the pine cone sniffer has made his arrival._

Robin halted in front of Regina. He looked over his shoulder as a small brown pup followed from behind, tripping over his too big paws. The russet wolf circled the mayor in greeting.

"Good morning, Regina. I couldn't help but to hear a certain roar of victory and I just assumed it was the young prince. Refining your skills are we Henry?" Robin inquired. Meanwhile, an energetic Roland scampered around the field and began chasing a few falling leaves. He tried catching them with his little jaws but could never seem to get one.

"Yeah, Ma's the best warrior ever! She's taught me a whole lot and one day I'll be better than her," Henry boasted, ultimately bringing a smile onto Emma's wolfish features. Her heart soared at the praise.

"Well now, I have no doubt about that. Let's see what you've learned," Robin said quickly before springing at the pup. Henry, caught completely off guard, yelped as the heavy wolf crashed into his frame, forcing him onto his back and effectively pinning him to the ground. Robin growled in his throat, the sound sending shivers down Henry's spine and urged him to get away. He attempted to rake his back paws into Robin's underbelly but deemed futile as the large wolf had him completely immobilized.

Emma, sensing Henry's fear, jumped to her feet and prepared to tackle the male off of her son but was stopped by a wave of Regina's hand. Turning her gaze upon the former queen, Emma saw Regina shake her head, before moving to the two combating canines.

"Robin that's enough," she commanded, the tone piercing the tension in the air. Robin immediately alleviated his hold on Henry, allowing the pup to escape and scurry away to his mothers. Robin chuckled, "Don't fret, pup. You still have lots of time to learn." Emma glared daggers at the other wolf, her disdain towards him only increasing. What kind of adult voluntarily overpowers a child? She turned her attention to Henry, who still looked a little shaken by the experience. She nudged her muzzle to the side of his head and gave his ear a quick lick in reassurance before huffing.

By the time she looked over to Regina, Robin was already conversing with her. He had changed back into his human form and was in the process of brushing off fragments of leaves and grass from his jacket and jeans. Although he seemed to miss the disapproving look she was giving him, he did catch the sound of rumbling stomachs. "How about we go to Granny's? We can have some of the deer that I caught the other day and what a story that was!"

"Unfortunately Robin, Snow has informed me that lunch is already made for us and she asked me to retrieve these two. So we cannot join you today" Regina stated. At the thought of food, Emma and Henry's stomachs rumbled. They both changed back to their humanoid selves, both with disheveled hair and wrinkled attire, and rubbed their abdomens, hoping to quell the grumbling.

"Alright," he sighed, before leaning in and giving her a peck on the lips, "I will catch you a little later. I need to meet up with the Merry Men to discuss our hunting outings. Roland!" The pup scampered over to his father, leaping into his arms and transforming mid leap into the curly haired boy with a dashing smile. The Locksleys made their leave with a final goodbye to everyone.

There was a silence among the remaining trio which was soon broken by more grumbling stomachs.

"Okay I'm starving! Let's go champ, we need to replenish those used up calories," Emma suggested. She leaned in and whispered "and if we get there quick enough we'll say we ate vegetables an all that so your mom will make dessert!" Emma ruffled his hair before racing off into the woods with Henry trailing behind calling out to his brunette mother to take her time. Regina only chuckled at the scene; Henry definitely was beginning to show those Charming genes.

 _This is really bad but it's just the first chapter. There is a plot! Don't worry. I hope this was somewhat enjoyable and moderately tolerable. It will get better! Until next time._

 _~Huntress_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello~ thank you to all who reviewed, favorited and followed! This chapter is reflects more of my style of writing (since the last one was terribly written and kind of forced), so I hope you enjoy!_

Chapter 2

As the moon stepped down from her pedestal in the waning twilight to yield to the sun's desperate need for breath Regina lingered in the feeling of being between the dimensions of sleep and reality. All of her senses were numbed by the confusion of her interrupted slumber. She wanted to stay in her peaceful daze until the effects and feeling of just waking up wore off and allowed her to begin her day. However, the nightingale has yielded to the lark. Outside of her window, a cacophony of morning birds fiddled about in a nearby tree, pecking at whatever resources they desired. With sleep still clinging to her eyes, Regina squinted and raised a hand to avoid being blinded by the resurrected light that glistened through her window. Once her vision had gained its focus, she gazed off into the direction of the twittering birds, reminiscing to a time where she would have barbequed them for awakening her with their incessant chirps.

Sitting up from the warm confines of her sheets, Regina stretched her body, raising her arms above her head and arching her back, and shivering as she hears a satisfying crack originating from her spine. Deciding not to linger in bed any longer, she arose and quickly made her bed. Running a hand over her drowsy features and through her disheveled locks, she sauntered over to the window before drawing the curtains open, the sunlight pouring into the bedroom and illuminating the walls and furniture. It nearly blinded the former queen, causing her to wince. Adjusting to the lighting, she flipped the hatches and opened the window, the birds that previously tweeted in the neighboring tree merrily now fluttered off to find another place to practice their songs and gather their food. The cool breeze entangled through the Regina's dark hair and nipped at her skin. She adjusted her much too big night shirt and wrapped her arms around her form to ward off the early morning chill that the morning bestowed. Gazing at the sky, Regina took in the various shades of purple, pink, reds, and blues that blended together to make a vibrant masterpiece. It was beautiful; the pinnacle of beauty and emotion in one sight.

Sighing, Regina stepped away from the exquisite sunrise and began to prepare for the day ahead. The clock on her bedside table read six-thirty, leaving her with enough time for a brief shower and to whip up breakfast for herself and Henry.

Her heels clacked on the steps as she descended the stairs, a red dress hugging her figure. Her usual makeup and additions of jewelry completed her attire. Reaching the end of the staircase, Regina made her way to the kitchen, readying to arrange breakfast; however, to her surprise a _Granny's_ takeaway bag rested on the countertop. Investigating it further, Regina discovered a note: _Regina, I hope you don't mind, but I thought you and the kid could indulge in a quick breakfast that you don't have to make or clean up! I got your favorite and even got Henry some healthy food, (you know, fruit salad, yogurt; all that good stuff). I also got these flowers to brighten your dining room. I'll see you a little later, enjoy! Emma_

Next to the bag was an arrangement of flowers in a vase, consisting mainly of acacias, magnolias, daffodils, and gardenias with a few forget-me-nots.Regina smiled, rolling her eyes playfully. She noticed how far they had come since they met; starting as enemies and now very close friends. Placing the note down and searching the contents of the bag. Miraculously, Henry came down the stairs as his mother took the food out of the bag, fully dressed and groomed for school with his backpack slung over his shoulders. He gave a "whoop!" of excitement as he sat at the table and dug into an apple pastry.

"Well good morning to you too," Regina greeted with a smile, leaning down to kiss his head, "Make sure you eat your fruits and yogurt. I knew that she would get your favorite breakfast pastry."

"Well it's my second favorite; yours is way better than Granny's," he mumbled with a mouthful of pastry, but stopped as he saw his mother give him a reprimanding look, "Just don't tell her I said that."

Regina only hummed with a smirk as she gazed at the floral arrangement, delicately stroking the petals of the various flowers. Such a sweet gesture was a common occurrence. They would go to lunch, meet up to watch one of Henry's sporting events, and do random acts of kindness for one another; but as these times became more and more frequent, Regina could feel a riling of emotion at the very core of her heart, a sensation that she has not felt since the murder of her first love Daniel. She has always dismissed it, knowing that Robin was most definitely the cause since they were soulmates, yet times like these always confused her.

With a wistful sigh, Regina sat down into a chair perpendicular to Henry before indulging in her fruit salad. A relentless scratching at the door prevented her from satisfying her growing hunger with a delicious looking raspberry. Henry, who had scarfed down his breakfast, moved to answer the door but was stopped as his mom waved a hand, signaling that she had it. Regina cracked open the large front door, only to have a large wolf head wedging its way into the home. Shaking off the surprise, Regina moved aside, allow the russet canine to enter. Robin padded into the foyer, his nails clacking on the hardwood. Silently hoping that he wasn't tracking dirt into her home, Regina followed him into the dining area. She noticed that the wolf had something clamped in his jaws, which he deposited on the dining room table. Transforming into his human body Robin embraced Regina, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning, love! How are you?"

Regina shrugged, "I'm fine. I'm actually looking forward to patrol this morning."

"Ah," Robin said, as if remembering something. He grabbed the deposited flowers from the table and held them out for her to take. "I thought of you this morning and gathered these; lovely flowers for a lovely lady."

Henry glanced at them over his shoulder and snorted in laughter. He rose from his seat and kissed his mother on the cheek, giving her a quick "goodbye" before heading off to school.

Robin looked at the closed door confused but was brought back by Regina taking the flowers. Giving them a once over, Regina tried not to grimace. Not only was their slobber on the stems, but there was also small fractures and ruptures caused by Robin's teeth chewing on them. A few even had the roots still connected with some of the soil that it had been growing in. She assumed that they were hastily plucked from the ground. The few dozen flowers, all native to Maine, were familiar to Regina, resulting in her inquiry, "Robin, do you know what these are?"

"No. Though I am a woodsman at heart, I fear that I have yet to master the foliage of this land."

"Well these," indicating a few small flowers with a point of a finger, "are Columbine, also known as Granny's Bonnet."

"Oh that sounds nice," Robin interrupted.

"Actually it's seeds and roots are highly poisonous, its toxins will cause heart palpitations and inflammation in the stomach and small intestine if consumed," Regina stated, giving him a pointed look before continuing, "And these-"

"Those I found near the river. I think the berries brighten up the bunch."

"Well I hope you didn't eat them. To be honest I wish you hadn't put them in your mouth. This is Red Baneberry and the whole thing is poisonous, the berries being the most toxic."

Robin's eyes widened, placing a hand on his abdomen, "Do I need to go to the hospital now?"

"No I think your wolf will fight the toxins but you'll probably feel discomfort," she smiled as she moved to the kitchen where she placed the harmful plants into the garbage.

"I see someone had the same idea as me," he said, flicking his head to the vase on the table.

"Yes, Emma dropped them off with some breakfast earlier this morning. It was definitely a relief to not have to cook."

Robin pursed his lips, as he always seems to do, "I've been meaning to talk to you about Emma." The statement caused Regina to unintentionally stiffen. At first, she was confused as to why she felt so defensive, but after some consideration she concluded that she had the right to be. Robin's tone did not seem one of praise or complement and quite frankly it rubbed her the wrong way.

"And what would that be?"

Sighing, Robin pulled out a chair at the table and plopped down into it. He leaned forward, placing his arms on the dark wood and folded his hands together. "Well I have been thinking that maybe _I_ should take over Henry's training."

"Excuse me?" Regina said in disbelief, baffled by his assumption.

"Before you get mad, love," he said, raising his hands in a means of calming her, "I'm not saying Emma's a bad mentor, but there's a lot riding on Henry. He needs to prepare to take the Alpha male position when he's grown; I don't think Emma has that kind of experience."

"You say that like you do have the experience," Regina scoffed incredulously. She crossed her arms over her chest and took up a reprimanding stance. She gave her 'soulmate' a hard glare causing Robin to shift uncomfortably in his seat as he considered his next words carefully.

"That's untrue," he rose from his seat and closed the gap between them, "you lead this pack Regina and once we are united and married, we'll officially be the Alpha pair of Storybrooke. The citizens-"

Uncrossing her arms, Regina interrupted, "Robin, I am not the Alpha female of Storybrooke; Charming and Snow are the Alphas, I'm just a political figure who manages the town."

"Exactly, you run the town! What do Snow and Charming do? Snow's a school teacher and Charming's is the deputy. Everyone sees you as their leader, us. No one has stepped up in challenge because no one-"

"Because everyone likes the Charmings," she cut in, gesticulating as she tries to get her point across.

"No, because they see who's in power and they like how well the town is thriving."

"Under Snow and Charming! Robin what is the point of all this?" Regina sighed, bringing a hand to rub at her forehead. This conversation was beginning to be tedious and she didn't want to be late for patrol.

"All I'm saying is that Henry should be learning from the best; someone who he could relate to."

"Henry _can_ relate to Emma, she's his _mother_. She's one of Storybrooke's finest wolves, an adroit hunter, and probably the town's champion in combat," Regina reasoned.

"He has been under her wing for the past month now, and he has little to show for it. Did you see how quickly I disabled him yesterday?"

"Oh," Regina had almost forgotten about that, "thank you for the reminder. What were you thinking!? He's a pup and he is just beginning to learn, Robin; of course he's not going to be able to take you on. You're an adult and you think it's okay to attack pups?" she yelled, her maternal instincts flaring as she argued with her lover.

Robin shook his head, "I had thought that since 'Storybrooke's finest' had taught him, he'd be excelling. If you insist on Emma teaching him, then she should be stricter and harder on him."

"Excuse me but Henry is in no rush to grow up! He is a child before an Alpha or anything else and I nor Emma will be told how to raise our son," Regina fumed, her facial features tight with rage and tinted a light shade of red. Although he did not like the last bit, Robin understood where Regina was coming. Maybe it wasn't the right idea to be arguing about his foolish actions and thoughts.

"Love, I'm merely suggesting matters that would benefit the boy," Robin placated. He moved to place his around Regina's waist, but was stopped by a wave of a hand. "Don't be mad, Regina. I apologize, I didn't mean to sound or act like a control freak, or a jerk, or something along those lines. Look, tonight is the monthly ball. Why not enjoy ourselves and then we go for ice cream? We'll bring the boys, too," he moved again to place his hands on her hips, this time without being stopped.

Regina, still frustrated about the whole situation, didn't know how to respond. She should be fuming; denying to see him until she saw otherwise. Yet each time things looked bleak for their relationship, she always pushed her obvious feelings aside in an effort to maintain her so called predestined relationship.

Sighing, the mayor nodded before reciprocating the hug, only gaining some form of comfort from the warmth of the embrace by erasing Robin as the contributor and imagining an unknown someone with strong arms, a dashing smile, and an unwavering heart.

"I truly love you, Regina. Let's not fight over petty things," he mumbled into her hair.

"I… I love you too," she hesitated, her mystery someone disappearing with the silence. Regina's phone, which had been resting on the countertop, began to sound. Ending the embrace, Regina walked over to it and saw that her alarm she had set was going off. She was late!

"Sorry Robin but I really must be going," she said, collecting her coat from the closet in the foyer. The woodsman followed and walked with her out of the house and to the end of the walkway. There, he placed a kiss on his lover's cheek and bid her goodbye until later.

They walked away from each other, but not before Robin cut in once more, "Oh! And you should wear that dress that I bought you! It would match the tie I picked out for tonight!"

Regina rolled her eyes; she hated that dress.

 _Wow lots of OQ drama. I feel so uneasy writing them together (like ew, right?) and I can't wait for what's ahead! Sorry no Emma in this chapter but she will be in the next and more relationships, too. Anyway, in a spark of inspiration, I have looked up some photos of how I picture each character would look in their wolf forms, so maybe I'll alternate between them as the cover image with them labeled? Hope you enjoyed!_

 _-Huntress_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello! Thank you all for the reviews, favorites, and follows, they are greatly appreciated! So I've decided to do the cover image idea and currently we have wolfy Robin up first (to get the worst out of the way). As more characters are introduced, more will be shown. I just want to clear; Snow and Charming are the leading Alphas and Emma is the next in line for the_ leading _Alpha position, (there are multiple alphas in the pack; for example, Regina, Robin, Henry, Hook, Ruby/Red, Rumple, and more). Henry is just beginning his training to be a regular Alpha (hunter, warrior, etc.) and will eventually take over after Emma. Last chapter was to elude some kind of suspicion of Robin; why does he want to train Henry so badly? Hint hint foreshadowing! Anyway, hoped that helped! Enjoy!_

Chapter 3

Emma huffed as she paced back and forth, her paws crunching on the dying foliage that littered the forest floor. She had been waiting for a good fifteen minutes; an abnormally long period of time for Regina to be late. She had contemplated whether to go on alone or to go and find her. It was very unlike the mayor to be tardy in these matters; patrolling the border was essential to ensuring security and prominence.

Emma's ears pricked forward the sound of crashing leaves and pulled her out of her thoughts. A black blur stood out among the vibrant forest and was hurtling straight for her. Instinctively, she crouched in a readied stance, preparing for the possible oncoming attacker.

When the figure neared, Emma dropped her posture and internally smiled. Her eyes beheld one of nature's true masterpieces; Regina Mills. With the shade of midnight radiating from the queen's fur, Emma had always imagined twinkling stars embroidered within it, shining so brightly that it exceeded the term painfully beautiful. The sunlight that penetrated the forest canopy reflected off of the miraculous coat. At the very sight of Regina's wolf, more slender and lither than her own physique, Emma's heart tightened.

Of course, Regina's company was an everyday occurrence but never had it dulled or eroded. Ever since they became amicable and more tolerant of one another, Emma could feel a crescendo of fondness build up within her soul. As time went, she recognized the sensation of enrapture, smite, and infatuation regarding Regina Mills. There was no denying it. She hadn't realized a specific point when she definitely _knew_ of her attraction towards the mayor, but once it had sunk in, it affected her. However, their newfound friendship was not something she wanted to jeopardize, especially when Regina already had a significant other. The thought always made her cringe. Her wolf, enraged at the common sight of the so called 'soulmates' together, urged her to take action and follow her instincts. But Emma quelled the burning desire in her soul, chastising herself for trying to break her friend's healing heart. If Regina was happy, then that's all Emma could wish for despite that fact that she was not the one providing her felicity.

Stricken by beauty, Emma only stared.

"I know I'm a few minutes late but I didn't image you to be this baffled," Regina voiced, breaking the spell that held Emma captive. The white wolf shook her head to escape her daze and directed a more focused gaze upon Regina, who had stopped right in front of her.

"Well sorry but I was completely surprised about your lack of punctuality," Emma said sheepishly, going along with Regina's accusation to avoid any awkwardness.

Regina laughed before her demeanor deteriorated enough for Emma to notice. But the second that she was going to confront her, the black she-wolf walked passed her. "Come on, let's get this patrol started so that we can help prepare for tonight."

Emma, still concerned about her friend, followed. The two wolves walked parallel with the border in an uncomfortable silence, the only sound being the crunch of decaying leaves under their paws. Knowing that the stillness had to be eradicated, Emma finally voiced her uneasiness "Hey. Are you alright? You seem a little down."

Regina looked at her, gold clashing with green. Emma almost stopped mid-step at the stare that expressed an array of emotion. "Aw what's wrong, Gina?"

Regina rolled her eyes at the name and gave a groan of disapproval, knowing that she had reprimanded Emma before about it. "Can we mark it down as relationship problems and leave it be?"

"If you want, I guess you could. But you know you can tell me anything, right?" Emma assured as she rubbed the length of her body against a large pine tree that was on the border boundary. She awaited a response, watching as the black wolf pawed at a pinecone absentmindedly, looking lost in her own thoughts. Emma allowed her some contemplation time, not wanting to peer pressure her into admitting anything. Understanding that expressing herself was a difficult and strenuous task was a necessary aspect in their friendship.

Eventually, Regina answered, "Robin has been getting on my nerves recently."

"Yeah, guys tend to do that," Emma replied with a smirk, trying to lighten the dolorous mood that lingered in the forest. "So what happened? Something must have made you late."

"Well," Regina sighed hesitantly, "you aren't going to like it."

"He didn't do anything to you did he?" Emma stopped, giving Regina a hard stare to insure that she knew she was being sincere.

"No, but he did unintentionally give me poisonous flowers. By the way, thank you; breakfast was delicious and the flowers look lovely on the dining room table." She began to walk again knowing that Emma would follow. They walked side by side, enough space between them to feel each other's warmth but far away enough to not brush fur.

"Your welcome," she smiled, but immediately reverted back to worrisome, "what happened?"

"He confronted me about you. He thinks that he should be the one to train Henry."

Emma once again stopped, causing Regina to sigh, "Miss Swan we are not going to get this patrol done if you insist on stopping every few minutes."

"It's understandable Regina! Who does he think he is? How dare he even suggest such a thing! He's dead; once we get back I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" Emma snarled, pacing angrily back and forth, stomping her strong paws into the foliage in effort to relieve some of the rage building up within her. Her wolf growled boisterously, her chest aching from the pressure exerting from within to produce the sound. It has been a long while since such animosity has been harbored with her; ever since Zelena had stolen her father's heart and her baby brother Neal. Now six months later, another force has officially threatened her family; _Robin._

"Emma I know your upset but you're better than that. I've already taken care of it; he was only being foolish," she said, trying to mollify her companion.

"If he thinks I'm just going to relinquish my duty as a parent to teach our son how to be an Alpha then he has another thing coming to him!"

"Trust me I told him that," Regina said, "He said since you don't have the experience as an alpha male you can't relate to-"

"So because of my gender I can't give son the best chance he has to being great? Robin doesn't even do anything for this town! He won't teach Henry anything! I'm the next in line for the leading Alpha position and he's next in line for a promotion to being a dead man!"

"I know, let's calm down now. Nothing will happen, just forget that it happened."

"I will not forget this Regina. I get that everyone thinks you are soulmates, but if he steps out of line, there will be consequences," Emma threatened, smoke almost visibly coming from her enraged form. She stopped her pacing and sat down in a huff, her bulky shoulders hunched and her glare, which settled on a few noisy and obnoxious squirrels scurrying through the leaves, was deadly. Regina watched Emma, knowing that the situation hit a nerve. She saw the white wolf's damaged pride and the frustration and confusion that plagued her mind.

Slowly padding over to her, Regina sat next to Emma, their fur whispering against one another, inducing a shiver from both women. Regina looked up at the fuming wolf and saw her internal struggle.

"Listen, don't allow yourself to get like this, it's unlike you."

"I know," Emma sighed, feeling the anger expel from her body as Regina's warmth became more prominent, "It just surprised me is all. What happened yesterday between him and Henry pissed me off and I guess this pushed me over the edge. And now I realize that I made this situation about me when it should have been about you," she rose from her spot and nudged Regina's side with her muzzle, urging her to stand, "Come on, let's finish this patrol while you tell me what's wrong."

They continued with their walk in an agreed silence once more before Regina spoke.

"There's something odd about him that I can't place my finger on. Like there is a bigger picture to his actions," she glanced up at the white wolf who gave her a confused look, "I don't know really. Recently he's been clingy."

"I can relate," Emma said with a shake of her head, "that was a reason why things didn't go so well with Hook and I."

"He wants me to wear that dress that I showed you for tonight's ball."

"That ugly burlap sack! I thought you were throwing it away!"

"And now I wish I had!"

"There is nothing in this world that you could wear that wouldn't look flattering on you except that dress. I swear he made it," Emma laughed jokingly, "You're not really going to wear it right?"

"Well that's what I'm getting at," Regina stated, bumping her shoulder into Emma's ribs, "Robin wants to match, since he think we represent the pack, like-"

"The Alphas?" Emma interrupted. She scoffed, completely unable to fathom the woodsman's thought process.

"Exactly. I have no idea what his deal is. He has a mindset that everyone thinks that I'm the Alpha and when we 'marry' then together he and I will be the Alphas."

Emma growled at the mention of the two marrying and hoped that Regina took it as a disapproval of Robin's opinion.

"No comment and that's all I'm going to say," she said, not wanting to get riled up again. She let it flow away like water under a bridge, hoping that the river will eventually lead out to open ocean and its waters to be lost out in the vast sea.

Regina smiled at Emma before the two returned to a peaceful silence. They listened and laughed at the woodland critters frolicking about the foliage on the forest floor and overhead in the tree branches. Some worked vigorously to gather supplies for the upcoming winter while others, like the turtle Emma almost tripped over, were making their ways to warmer places to avoid the harsh cold. They spoke of trivial things for a long period of time such as Henry's football games or how much baby Neal has grown or even the Sheriff's Departments budget.

An hour later and the duo were three-quarters of the way finished with their patrol, almost at the point where they began. Emma had just finished informing Regina about Henry's lessons for the upcoming week.

"Emma," Regina said softly, slowing her pace as her mind reeled for the right words. Emma followed suit to stay by her side.

"Yeah?"

"Remember when you promised me that you would help me find my happy ending?"

"Of course, why?"

"If things don't work out with Robin and me, I want you to stop trying so hard."

Emma only stared at Regina for a moment, wondering what to say. After some contemplation, she spoke, "Are you not happy with Robin?"

"I don't know anymore, Emma. Everyone thinks of us as predestined mates and I feel that I should be happy; but I hate to say that I don't know what being content in a thriving relationship is," she said with a melancholy smile. Regina wasn't the one to become suddenly emotional, but she could feel a pressure in her heart and a burning sensation in her eyes as she admitted her thoughts, "So if Robin and I happen to have complications, I don't want you to be obligated to focus on me because of a silly promise. You should put yourself first."

"Being selfless is a part of who I am. But promises to me are sacred and I'll be dead before I stop helping others, especially you," Emma said sincerely, looking into Regina' shimmering eyes.

"I feel that would be burdensome for you."

"If you're happy then I am too. You're my best friend and though you aren't used to people caring, I care about your happiness; not just because of Henry or the town but for you, only you. And if I can help you in any way to achieve your happy ending, I will," Emma explained, her emotions running high.

"Emma… that's very saccharine of you; if you know it or not, I value our friendship. Thinking back, I almost regret those few years of being enemies," Regina bantered, causing Emma to give a bark of laughter. "But I don't think there's much chance of a happy ending for me. I mean, if not Robin, then who? Maybe that's why I want to make the relationship work, I guess I'm afraid of being alone again knowing there's little to no possibility of finding love again, one that's true. True love."

Regina's form seemed to have shrunk, appearing so small and mopey. Emma's eyes widened in concern for her friend and her wolf whined internally. It upset her to see her so crestfallen and she wished that she could fix this. If only she were able to repair Regina's heart by showing her how precious she is, how loved she truly is. Her wolf yearned for her and Emma's heart throbbed for her love.

"Regina, you shouldn't think like that," Emma said, walking closer to her so that the depressed black wolf could lean on her for comfort and support. Regina shivered at the warmth that Emma provided. Her heart jumped back into pace at the contact and her wolf calmed, relieved from temporary heartache. "I think your mate's out there somewhere, wondering where the hell you are. Even if you and Robin don't work, you shouldn't be afraid. Just like when you were there for me for the past year and during my troubles, I'll be there for you, no matter what."

"Emma…" Regina looked into those confident green orbs, star struck by their glimmer. If she were in human form, she knew that tears would be flowing down her cheeks by the moving proclamation.

"And if you don't mind me saying, Robin is below you, you deserve someone better."

"I doubt there's anyone out there that's truly for me."

"Anyone would be lucky to have you Regina, they just need to be able t-" Emma stopped mid-sentence. Her nose twitched as she swiveled her head ahead of them to the right. She sprinted into that direction, leaving Regina behind. Emma stopped at an area of depressed leaves, looking as if something had laid there. She snuffed at it and growled. Regina arrived seconds later and sniffed at the spot while Emma lifted her head to the sky in a mighty howl, calling out for those on standby and also warning any trespassers that the pack knew of them.

A few minutes later, two wolves came bolting through the forest. The white she-wolf with black and light brown highlights on her ears and back trotted to Emma, brushing against her side. The white and black Alpha male followed his mate and they both joined the two wolves, standing in a circle and surrounding the strange spot.

"You know what this is, right?" Regina said, unable to break eye contact from the place where the smell emanated.

"Yes but how? I thought all of this was over," Charming voiced, shaking his head and looked at his mate. Snow met his gaze with a worried expression, "We need to bring this up at the ball and discuss how we are going to handle this."

"What do you think she's planning?" Emma inquired to the black wolf on her right, who had turned around and gazed at the expanse of forest that continued on past the border.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I have a feeling my dear sister will return, and next time, we'll be ready,"

 _And that's that for this chapter! Lots of dialogue but lots of feels too! Anyway there's much more to come and SwanQueen is coming in so say goodbye to OQ!_ __ _Until next time!_

 _-Huntress_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello! Thank you for the promotions for the story! I know it's not the best idea or well done but I'm glad that it's moderately tolerable. I seem to have huge issues with odd numbered chapters; even chapters seem to flow more naturally for some reason. Anyway, we have wolfie Emma as the cover image for the next two chapters. Hope you enjoy._

 **Chapter 4**

 _'I may be late tonight; I have to take care of some Merry Men business. Can't wait to see you tonight! Xxx_

Regina sighed at the text as she used her fingertips to massage her forehead, hoping to appease her growing headache. She should have known that there would be further complications today. After she and Emma returned from their eventful patrol, they decided to keep quiet about Zelena's scent until the meeting after the Ball tonight. They supervised and helped with bedecking the Town Hall and fashioned the serious atmosphere into a glorious ballroom. After four hours, when all was finished and up to Regina's standards, the two women picked Henry up from school and had a bite to each at Granny's. There, Emma made sure that Granny was still able to take all of the children for cupcake decorating while the adults had their meeting; Granny responded with a sassy "Well I'm alive aren't I?" From there, the Emma and Regina went their separate ways to prepare for tonight's festivities, the mayor taking Henry.

Now, Regina sat in front of her vanity, leaning her head in her hands as her frustration regarding Robin grew; if not recent events were not enough but now she had Robin's negligence in the back of her mind. After a moment or two, she straightened her posture, flicked her hair back, and gazed upon her appearance in the mirror. She was overjoyed that she had taken Emma's advice and worn something other than the monstrosity of a dress that Robin had wanted her to wear and went with one of her favorites: a strapless black dress that hugged her chest and torso before fanning out to the floor like a tradition ballroom gown. The chest was lined with purple and white azaleas a few cascading down the length of the dress. Silver specks mainly dotted the hip area before scattering upward and downward, diminishing in number but giving the gown a majestic and regal air. She decided not to use an excess of cosmetics and stuck with her normal touches of makeup. A stunning necklace adorned her neck and collarbone; a gift from her little prince. Well, Henry had picked it out while Emma had bought it for him to give to her, so of course she gave him the credit. Regina smiled and reached a hand up to hold the purple jewel and admired its shine.

At the sound of footsteps in the hallway outside of her room, Regina snapped out of her daze. A few seconds later, a knock sounded on the wood of her bedroom door.

"Come in, Henry," Regina chimed, looking expectantly at the door. Her son flung the door open and stepped into the room.

"Are you ready? We should head over soon; Ma said people are starting to show and we can't be late!" Henry reported, fiddling with his tie that seemed just slightly too crooked. Regina rose from her seat and stood in front of him and aided him with his purple tie, "I'm sure we won't miss anything substantial. Besides we are always fashionably late to these endeavors."

Henry rolled his eyes and gave her a dashing smile. Once his mother was finished fixing up his tie, suit jacket, and undershirt, she placed her hands on his cheeks and scanned his face, "You look very winsome, dear."

"You look really nice too. I thought you were going to wear…" he trailed off, looking around the bedroom before spotting the garment, "you know that," he pointed over to the nearby trashcan where the dress that Robin had given her rested.

"Well Robin doesn't dictate what I wear. I love this dress and he will have to deal with it."

"I knew you would wear this dress, it matches- oh! Wait never mind you didn't hear anything!" he exclaimed, cover his mouth as if he uttered a secret.

"Henry?" Regina inquired, picking up that he was hiding something.

"It's nothing, Mom. See you match me; purple and black! We should get going come on!" he said before he disappeared from the room, making his way down the stairs with lightning speed. Regina simply smiled at the door before putting on her black heels and heading downstairs.

…

Emma stood at the entrance of the Town Hall, greeting some people as they entered, shaking some hands while patting the children on the head or high-fiving them as they passed. Snow and Charming stood on the opposite side of the door, mimicking Emma's actions. Soon enough, the whole town was present, settling into their tables and beginning to make lines for the buffet, courtesy of Granny.

The royal trio made their way into the ballroom. Emma felt proud of the setup, knowing that the work put into it was completely worth it. The extravagant chandeliers glimmered and shone vibrantly, illuminating the large room with a romantic and ornamental light. The drapery accented the windows while string lights lined the frames. The tables, covered with cream tablecloths were situated on the perimeter of the large dancefloor, each topped with a vase center piece with a variety of white and black flowers and crystals. The silverware and dishes were shimmering and placed with impeccable care. The cleared area, outlined by the tables, was freshly polished and glimmered in the low lighting. On the far side of the room, Ruby was beginning her shift as the DJ, complete with large headphones and aviators covering her eyes. In each corner of the room, great speakers emitted the music, the beat resonating throughout the room. Emma waved at Ruby, who returned her greeting with a thumbs up.

Glancing around the room, Emma saw everyone mixing and mingling while other began to dance. She was elated that the town could finally enjoy themselves and have fun, a true sense of pack pride emanating from her swelling heart. She joined her parents as they walked around and talked with numerous people, although she felt her eyes always skittering around or at the entrance, knowing that her wolf and her heart was searching for Regina. With no sign of Henry, her, or her woodsman boyfriend, Emma felt worrisome. She took calming breaths, reasoning that she was getting worked up over nothing, but what Regina had told her on petrol had really pissed her off. Hopefully she will be able to avoid conversing or spotting Robin altogether.

"Are you going to stand there and frown all night or are you here to enjoy yourself?" a voice sounded beside her. Turning her head, Emma felt herself grinning at the tone. Next to her was Regina Mills in all of her glory. Emma had opened her mouth to make a witty remark, but all words had left her mind and all breath escaping her lungs as she takes in the appears of the former queen. She was breathtaking. Her whole being was resplendent, her dress sumptuous, and her smile scintillating, making the room and everyone in it disappear, only leaving herself and Regina.

Regina arched an eyebrow and blushed lightly as Emma's eyes seemed to have examined her being. It was foreign to her, this admiration; of course, being an attractive woman, Regina has received looks from many people, one of them being Robin. Yet the way that Emma was looking at her presently made her heart flutter and melt.

"Mom, look! See!" Henry snapped both of the women out of their reveries as he moved next to Emma, who instinctively placed an arm around his shoulders. Regina looked and noticed that the two almost matched; wearing purple ties, white undershirts, and black suit jackets and dress pants. They made a silly pose together, earning a laugh from the brunette.

"Is this what you hiding from me earlier?" Regina chuckled.

"Yes, but it was a good idea, now we all match! To be honest, all of my plans are good. This one was called Operation Chameleon."

"That's very clever of you," Regina turned her attention to Emma, quickly flicking her eyes over the blonde's attire and appreciated how well it suited her, "It seems that all of our work payed off. It looks very authentic," she said, glancing about the room and taking in the merriment of the room. Everyone was enjoying themselves as they do each gathering.

"Yeah it looks great, I think this is the best decorating yet," Emma replied before asking Henry to grab her a bear claw from the desert table. He eagerly went off to retrieve the pastry, leaving his mothers alone.

"So," Emma began, "did you ditch the Robin and come by yourself?"

"No, he said he would be late," she sighed. Emma picked up her frustration and, upon Henry's return, led them to the table where Snow and Charming waited for them.

"Regina you look great!" Snow chirped.

"As do you; taking your name quite literally again, I see." Regina stated. Of course Snow would have an abundance of white lace gowns. Charming gave the mayor a smile before hugging Henry.

"Will Robin be joining us soon?" he inquired.

"Yes," Regina replied. She did not feel confident in her answer.

Henry, upon seeing a group of his classmates, went off to join them.

"Let's not speak of today's findings until after the ball. I don't want to ruin the gaiety in the room," Regina suggested, while two out of the three Charmings nodded in agreement.

Ruby approached the group, wearing black pants, a white tank top, and an open burgundy blouse overtop. She moved her aviators to sit on top of her head as she called out, "Hey guys, are we having fun yet?"

"Aren't you supposed to be DJing right now?" Emma inquired, giving her friend a hug, Snow repeating the process.

"Once you stay up there for a good ten minutes, you grow bored of playing the music. So I got lonely and decided to join the party. Don't worry though, I got it covered," she said, gesturing over to the turntables. The group laughed as they saw Whale, with his electric blonde hair and white suit, jamming out to the tunes.

"Good evening everyone," Rumple said as he limped past, his one hand holding his cane while Belle held onto his other arm. The black and gold duo, mainly due to Belle's insistence, stopped to greet the group more thoroughly. Emma had felt Ruby stiffen beside her as Belle detached herself from her husband neared them. Red gave her a tight smile and embraced her, "Hey, I love your dress! It looks great; I told you it was definitely made for you."

"You were right," the woman's accent making her friend melt, "but I see you didn't want to get fancied up?"

Ruby shrugged, "Yeah, I don't have anyone to impress and I didn't really feel like it I guess. You know me."

Belle smiled and shook her head. Red took now to gaze upon the smaller woman's form. The golden dress that she and Belle had looked for for hours during their shopping spree really looked dazzling on her. She felt her wolf howl inside of her, knowing that her crush was so close yet so unreachable. She glanced over to the imp a few steps behind Belle as he conversed with Regina. He looked in her direction and a growl almost left her throat.

"Come Belle, let's see what there is to eat," Rumple said, giving Ruby a strange look before focusing on his wife.

Belle smiled and bid everyone a 'see you later', leaving with Gold after giving Red one last hug.

Regina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, "I swear that man is one of the most unpleasant people I ever had the displeasure of meeting."

Emma watched as Ruby watched the Golds walk away, her form seemed to have deflated and all of the liveliness escaped her spirit. Red sighed as Emma placed a comforting hand in her shoulder.

"Remember when I said knowing who your mate might be is one of the greatest feelings you would encounter?"

"Yeah?" Emma nodded, recalling when she had told Ruby of her longing for Regina.

"Well I lied. It could be one of the worst things you could ever experience."

Emma didn't know how to respond. They were in similar situation, she and Ruby. Both of their loved ones seemed to have already been taken by others who they saw as inferior. Although it angered them to no end, they both kept a cool head, understanding that they could not tear apart happiness.

"Come on. It seems that you and I need a drink."

 _And that's that. Short chapter not as much action. However I have plans for the next chapters that will be pretty exciting. Anyway, thought that RedBeauty needed its debut. Hope you enjoyed, until next chapter._

 _~Huntress_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello and welcome to chapter 5 of PoU! I am so glad that people are enjoying this and I thank everyone for their support and praise. Let's just jump in, I hope you enjoy!_

 **Chapter 5**

The room reverberated as music blared from the speakers, bouncing off the decorated walls and making each inhabitants soul tremor. Whale at one point, maybe enjoying his newfound hobby a little too much, turned the lighting down and cranked up the volume to the point people pondered if it was possible that he still had his hearing. A multitude of colors shimmered against the dark tiles of the dancefloor, glimmering as the citizens of Storybrooke enjoyed themselves. They reveled in the harmony and merriment of recent times and displayed the contents of their minds through their actions. The majority of the room was gathered in the center, dancing and swaying to the rhythmic beat of the music. Families laughed and boogied together; children clumsily dancing silly moves or standing on their parents' feet. Other kids mingled near the tables where games were played and jokes were exchanged. Couples moved together, most keeping the vulgarity low as they talked in whispered and husky voices, pressed up against each other so that nothing could separate them. The Alpha pair was among this group as they embraced each other and allowed their bodies to be controlled by the upbeat music. Smiles adorned Snow's and Charming's lips as they stared into one another's eyes, their love radiating from their bodies in waves and seemed to have an effect on everyone in the room.

Regina looked on at the scene with a remanence of a melancholy smile. She sat on outskirts of the room, at the table where they originally seated themselves, and periodically checked her phone which she had stored in her small purse, checking to see if Robin had texted her to update on his situation. With nothing received, she took it upon herself to text him, inquiring about where he was and when he would be arriving. But alas, no word was received. Soon enough, the brunette's mood was further diminishing; today was supposed to be perfect, yet here she was concerned about earlier events and her crumbling relationship weighed heavily on her mind and heart.

She leaned her cheek on a hand with her elbow resting on the table, her thoughts running rampant and depressing her mood. She realized about an hour ago that Robin had no plans of coming. With a sigh, Regina closed her eyes in an effort to ward off any oncoming swells of tears. Rejection was not something that she enjoyed, especially when it was from her so called soulmate.

Minutes later, someone cleared their throat loudly in front of her. Almost disgusted, Regina was about to reprimand the stranger and ask them to leave her alone, until she opened her teary eyes. Before her was Emma Swan, in all of her beauty and charm, looking at her with all of the concern and worry in the world. The blonde gave her a sad smile before taking the chair next to her and planting herself in it. Regina knew that at this point Emma had read her like an open book and in her own way, would try and remedy her burdens. There was no avoiding it; this was one of the reasons why Regina valued their friendship. If she was in anyway troubled or emotional, Emma always seemed to telepathically perceive it and rush to mollify her condition.

"What's an angelic woman such as yourself doing over here by your lonesome? Not enjoying the shindig?" Emma asked with a smirk adorning her lips, attempting to lighten the mood.

Regina shrugged, straightening her posture and blinking the tears that had welled up, "No I'm simply keeping an eye on our son." She motioned with her head to her right where across the room Henry sat with his friends playing a heated game of Would You Rather?

Emma cocked eyebrow and tilted her head, giving her an all-knowing look, "Yeah okay; are you still worked up over Robin?"

She paused, not completely sure what to say. After a moment or two, she decided to say the truth. "He's not coming Emma," Regina sighed, training her gaze down at her clasped hands that she rung together every few seconds. Her voice came out as tremulous and unsteady, much to her displeasure, but her thoughts were too muddled and confounded that it was simply frivolous at that moment to her.

Emma's confident and proud stature deflated at the sight of her friend in such a state, and now not being the first time today. Of course, earlier's rage rekindled and radiated from her wolf, but her overbearing desire and need to assuage all of Regina's anxiety. Emma lowered her head to try and recapture Regina's gaze. Emerald clashed with brown irises that sparkled and glistened with fresh precipitation. A restored and magnified sense of unease ascended from the bottom of her heart while internally her wolf snarled, exasperated by the woodsman's foolish carelessness. Oh how desperately she wanted to appease her wolf and hunt Robin down and compensate for all that he has done! Yet, she knew that her heart told her to stay put and tend to her damaged love.

"Regina, don't let him get you down, don't even let Zelena's appearance bother you; we'll worry about that later. This ball is for everyone to enjoy, including you and I'm not going to allow some forest neanderthal damper your mood because he can't comprehend what he has," Emma declared before rising from her seat in a huff, causing Regina to look up at her in wonder. The sheriff gazed down upon the distraught woman and, with tenacity and confidence emanating from her unwavering eyes, extended her hand out for her to take. Regina stared at the hand quizzically, focusing on Emma only after expecting it for a few seconds.

At that moment, a new song emitted from the speakers, one with a slower tempo and a more delicate choice of instruments. If either woman had bothered to look at the DJ area, they would have seen Whale smirking in their direction, before sitting back in his chair and kicking back for a little break. On the dancefloor, couples moved into more sophisticated position with one partner placing one hand on the other's shoulder and the other clasping their partner's free hand while the other was around their waste. The children, save for a few teens, evacuated the center in favor of watching the spectacle that was about to unfold. This dance was one of the most anticipated events of the night.

Across the room, Henry bashfully slinked over to a female classmate and asked her to dance. He and his new partner joined the couples in the center of the room, waiting for the beginning tempo.

"Dance with me," Emma said, raising her eyebrows as she motioned to her outstretched hand.

"Emma…" Regina was about to decline, yet something inside her - deep down within her soul – urged her to place her hand into Emma's. With a smile of relief, Emma aided Regina out of her seat and placed the manicured hand into the crook of her elbow, allowing her to lead them to join the majority of the adults on the dancefloor. Everyone had seemed to wait for them, as they maneuvered through the crowd to the very center of the room where Snow and Charming rested, whose eyes never left one another's but both smirked at the sight of Regina on Emma's arm. Once they found a spot next to the Charmings, they faced each other, both exhibiting the symptoms of nervousness. Emma made the first move and placed her hand hesitantly on Regina's prominent hip while the other was clasped together with Regina's at shoulder height. Regina, in turn, placed her hand on Emma's shoulder, noticing the remanence of a shiver at her touch. She wasn't completely sure if Emma knew how to lead, but she herself had no experience since she was always led, therefore she simply allowed it without much thought.

At the beginning of the tempo, the whole room moved together, each leading partner mimicking Charming's movements and each follow partner copied Snow; somehow knowing their actions before they are executed. The elegance that the ballroom harbored was miraculous to all who spectated. Each step withheld a beauty that could not possibly be explained. The various couples that were scattered throughout the room moved together smoothly as if gliding, floating on delicate clouds. They twirled, stepped, spun, and moved to the soft rhythm of piano, violins and woodwinds.

Regina chose this moment to lift her gaze to meet Emma's, who was smiling down at her assuredly, "Where did you learn to dance, let alone lead?"

Emma shrugged lightly, "I don't know, maybe it's in my blood; us Charmings are indeed charming."

Regina faked a gag before chuckling, "Yes, I'm sure that's the reason." Emma gave Regina a twirl as they remained in sync with the rest of the couples. Once returning to their original position, they swayed for a few seconds in silence.

"You are exceedingly charming," Regina said with a hint of blush on her cheeks, "but maybe that's not such a horrible thing."

"You secretly love it, despite the endless amount of jokes I make. But it's - oh my god Gina look," Emma said amusingly, motioning with her head over to her right.

"Emma how many times…." Regina trailed off on her chide as she followed Emma's indication and saw an emotionally confusing sight. A few meters from them were Henry and his classmate Grace, dancing like everyone else, yet slightly clumsier. Henry, in his own defense, was fairing quite well with his leading yet his red face expressed to everyone who saw that he was a bit timid.

Regina watched them, swiveling her head to ensure her that her line of vision wasn't obstructed by the movements of the dance. Her feelings were conflicted; of course, she was proud of Henry for being such a gentleman, but who said that he could grow up so fast?! He's dancing with her now but sooner or later he'll start dating and furthermore and that was something that Regina was protective about.

"Oh…"

"See, I told you! It's all in the genes," Emma laughed before turning them. "Come on, let him have his fun."

Regina sighed, calming herself and signaling a decision, "As long as he's being chivalrous I assume its fine, for tonight."

"Unlike a few guys we know," Emma muttered under her breath.

"At least you dealt with your relationship problem; I just don't know what to do anymore, Emma."

"Do what I did."

Regina stared into her eyes, "I don't think I can…"

"And why is that?"

Regina stayed silent, her eyes staring off into the distance behind Emma. Without any explanation, Emma took it upon herself to open up the situation.

"He's no good for you. I'm sorry if I'm being blunt but I am sick and tired of him disrespecting your home, our family, and most importantly you. It hurts me and everyone else who cares about you to see you so depressed all the time. If he can't see how great he's got it then you should let him off, regardless of what everyone says about you guys being predestined soulmates. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met, Regina. So if he doesn't treat you like the Queen you are, then forget him."

Regina teared up for the hundredth time that day at Emma's statements. Her heart pounded in her chest, rekindling the sensations she experienced each time Emma made her feel so special.

"You think I'm amazing?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood so that they wouldn't have a negative experience out of this perfect opportunity.

Emma flushed lightly, wondering if she should be frank or to push it off as a friendly statement, "Regina... You're the most marvelous and exquisite woman I've had ever met, let alone call my best friend."

"Well, you're not too bad yourself, Savior: my dearest friend," Regina said in a lower tone before giving into her instincts that yearned to be closer to Emma. She closed the gap between them and leaned her head on Emma's firm shoulder, relishing in the warmth that instantly consumed her. Emma's eyes widened and her wolf howled triumphantly, bounding off the walls of the insides of her consciousness in glee. At first, she had stiffened at the contact but soon relaxed as inhaled Regina's fragrance. The brunette did the same and savored Emma's prominent scent, marking it down as it being a trait as the heir to the Alpha position, or just being a Charming. It calmed and surrounded her, a shield of security enveloping her into what seemed to be a whole other realm. Soon, their position disabled them from following Snow and Charming's lead, so they only swayed, diverging from the synchronization in favor of keeping each other comfortable.

Emma led Regina's hand - that was clutching her own - to her shoulder, allowing her to wrap her arms around her neck. Emma, eager to close the little space between them, slipped her now free arm around Regina's waist, overlapping her other one as she pulled them impossibly tight. Both women inhaled deeply before exhaling an almost silent sigh, softening into each other's form. Regina listened to Emma's heartbeat beneath her ear, the sound lulling her into a tranquil and harmonious state of mind, causing her to close her eyes in order to completely indulge. Emma soon followed suit as her eyes drifted closed after she leaned her cheek on the top of Regina's hair, breathing in her irresistible aroma.

The two women could only sway to and fro as they molded together. They spent two more silent minutes in this state before a sudden and loud beat transmitted from the speakers, sending the women into shock as they clutched onto each other as if danger was present. After coming to their senses, Emma and Regina looked at one another, their cheeks pink and their eyes lively.

"You know, just because the slow song is over doesn't mean our fun is over," Emma said, a smirk adorning the corners of her mouth. She looked expectantly at her companion, hoping that somehow she could feel what she had just experienced once more, knowing that that sensation was something she wanted to feel for the rest of her existence.

Regina smiled, as she and Emma joined the room and began dancing to the catchy beat of _Shut Up and Dance._

…

A few hours later, Granny began to gather up the children to take them to the restaurant for some cupcake decorating. Belle even volunteered to join Granny and offered to read stories to the children afterwards. The two of began herding the group of kids, ranging from infants (including baby Neal who was nestled in Belle's arms) to twelve years of age. A few older kids accompanied the group for some odd reason, some being in Henry's friend group. However, Emma made sure that her son stayed put, enforcing how important these meetings were for an Alpha, especially this one.

On the stage, Snow, Charming, Emma, and Regina stood, gazing out at the crowd of townspeople. The music was off and all lighting returned to normal; this was a formal meeting, now that everyone got to enjoy themselves, they then had to turn to more pressing matters.

Charming stepped up and began to address the congregation, "Thank you all for coming. I hope you all enjoyed the ball," he began, a silence instantly befalling upon the crowd, "I would like to congratulate and thank you all for your contributions to making Storybrooke prosper over the last month. All of your efforts reflect on the fluidity of the town." Snow stepped forward to join her husband.

"We all know that in the past, we have had to deal with dark forces to ensure our happiness in Storybrooke," she said, unable to help glancing in Rumple's direction, seeing the man leaning on his cane in the back of the room with an impish smile on his aging features. "We have had months of serenity and we all know that tranquility is always short lived, especially for us, it seems."

The crowd broke out in a sea of whispers, pondering what their leaders could possibly mean.

Snow decided to end their questioning, "What I am insinuating is that there has been a discovery at the border." In response, the townspeople gasped and talked amongst themselves in a distressed manner.

"Emma and Regina will fill you in on the specific details," Snow concluded before she and Charming moved away, allowing Emma and Regina to replace them.

Emma looked out to her fellow townspeople, confused and anxious about the news that they were about to receive. She empathized with their feelings, but worried as she was to be one of their leaders, to govern them to victory and prosperity. She cleared her throat, hoping to quell her mind and nerves before orating to the crowd. "Regina and I were nearly finished with the morning patrol when we discovered a suppressed area of leaves, indicating an individual resting and an all too familiar scent: Zelena."

The townspeople gasped collectively and talked in clamorous dolor; mates clutching each other in distress and mothers comforting their elder children, warding off what was before a distant nightmare, but now was a very new and dangerous reality.

Regina stepped forward, "Listen everyone, I understand your worry, but we have dealt with this problem before. Today, we are much more united than we were in the past. I am confident in our strength as a whole to conquer this arising problem. Furthermore, we do not know the extent of Zelena's reappearance; although it is wishful thinking, she may not even be here to cause trouble; perhaps she has gotten what she deserved and is suffering. Presently, all we can do is be exceptionally cautious and vigilant."

The Charmings smiled slightly, silently applauding Regina for her admirable oratory skills. She was always reliable when it came to getting a point across or moving the hearts and mind of the people; an essential trait for a politician and Alpha.

Charming once again stepped forward, "We are hoping to increase the numbers of the patrols in effort to isolate this problem. If anyone has any pressing questions, please share them now."

An older woman raised her before speaking, "Do you believe that there will be another war?"

The four Alphas on the stage thought about her question intently, looking at one another to see if the other wanted to answer. Emma finally took it upon herself to make a valid statement, "To be completely honest, I have absolutely no idea. As Regina explained, her reappearance could have many interpretations or intentions. We simply do not have enough evidence to make a list of potential motives; but we do know that this will become an investigation and we will not stop until this situation is dealt-"

A feral, malicious howl sounded a few blocks down, interrupting Emma's speech. It was followed by dozens more identical to it. A concoction of scents began wafting through the open windows, causing the room to outbreak into panic and horror.

The invaders were approaching with miraculous speed, the thunder of robust paws smacking against the pavement and asphalt echoing into the large building. They tore their way through the streets of Storybrooke. It was seconds later when large wolves began crashing their way through windows and doors of Town Hall, and launched a vicious and bloody attack on the people inside.

"Everyone prepare yourselves!"

 _And thus the action and plot begins. I sure hope nothing happens to any of our beloved characters~ (I mean Belle and Granny are ALONE watching ALL of the children…) Anyway, I thought some fluff would transition nicely into horror so I hope it was tolerable. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you stay tuned for the next instalment!_

 _-Huntress_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello and welcome to chapter 6! I'm glad people are excited about the action and conflict (to be honest, so am I); I hope that I can execute it in a plausible and incredible way. Also, Regina's wolf is the cover image for the next two chapters Anyway, enjoy~_

 **Chapter 6**

It was absolute carnage. The atrocious cacophony of deafening caterwauls, howls, bellows and moans echoed throughout the town. Main Street resembled a warzone; each building that was situated on the street was vandalized, marred, and some were lacking large portions of their structure, resulting in hazardous shards of glass, slabs of rubble, and other such debris littering the broken streets and sidewalks. In addition to the clutter on the ground, blood spatter painted the black asphalt and the crackled off-white concrete a deep crimson; the blood in some areas trickled a ways, conjugating to construct a multitude of murky lakes and rivers. Wads of fur and blood flew through the air, fluttering and occupying the vacant space. The scent of the copious amount of bodily fluid wafted through the tension filled air, disorienting the belligerent combatants as they battle.

Dozens of wolves brawled in the streets of Storybrooke under a dark sky that seemed to be vacant of all light; thousands of teeth were bared, flashing at their opponents before snapping and in some cases penetrating skin, drawing yelps of agony from their throats. The massive canines used their weight and strength to push, roll, tumble, and force each other to the ground, getting their enemies into an accessible position to conquer and maim them. In defense, claws raked across underbellies in an effort to escape the disadvantageous stance and injure the other.

Emma was among the wreckage, currently sinking her jaws into the throat of a bulky, grey wolf. He whined as he felt the air being constricted from his lungs, struggling as the ability to breathe became nonexistent. He tumbled to the ground, held down by the might of his opponent whose muffled growling reverberated in his war. His golden eyes widened in terror to the point that the whites of his eyes dominated his features before rolling up in his head and going limp, his consciousness dimming to black. Emma felt him seize up before he became enervate and drooped in her hold. She released her hold on the inanimate being, his blood leaving a horrid taste in her mouth.

A blur of three wolves bounded past her, their tails between their legs as they ran toward the forest. Emma watched them disappear down the street before looking back to their pursuers: Snow and David. As her parents approached, she noticed Charming's shoulder was slightly bleeding, the fur colored burgundy and matted with blood. They stopped beside her.

"Emma, are you alright?" Snow asked as she gave her daughter a glance over, searching for any signs of harm.

"I'm fine. Who are these people? How are we fairing?" Emma asked as she glanced around the makeshift battlefield, ensuring that Storybrooke's warriors were in no need of help.

Snow seemed to have hesitated for a moment or two, her eyes flicking to her mate's before looking back at her daughter. "We… we don't know who they are. I don't think they're from around here; they must be trying to invade and conquer for new territory. We seem to be holding them off. Our defenses are holding them back and none have gone past the library so Granny, Belle, and the children should be fine."

"Did you receive any word regarding Henry?" Emma inquired, silently praying that Henry had followed her deliberate directions and fled the scene to Granny's where he will be safe.

"Yes, Henry's fine and with the other children. We sent four other alphas to guard and protect them just in case. Your father and I were just handling those three; they were… different somehow so we'll be going after them."

Emma gave them a pointed gaze, "Are you sure? Maybe I should go with you, if you-"

"No," Charming cut in, "we can take care of them. We need you to command things here in our absence."

Emma only gazed at them, using her 'super power' to try and detect _something_. The appalling and ghastly harmony of the bloodshed contrived her to disregard her intuition. She nodded, indicating her reluctance. Snow and David returned the gesture before they both moved in and placed their head on either of Emma's shoulders. They 'hugged' her between them, having a moment of solace. Snow and Charming looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, a message sent but not received by Emma. The trio break the embrace, not before Snow rubbed her cheek over Emma's head and ears, a calming an loving gesture that normally occurred between them. With that, Charming and Snow ran off in the direction that the three rouges fled into the forest; Emma watched their forms become shrouded by the dark clutches of the foliage and trees.

…

Henry paced back and forth, his tail flicking to and fro as he pondered the situation at hand. His emotions was like a tempest in his heart, each swirling and forceful as they bombarded his subconscious. He recalled the moment of the attack, remembering only flashes of the ruthless attacks, how the battle had intensified in the streets, and Emma barking at him to run as fast as he could to Granny's. He still remembers how his heart beat so painfully in his chest, fear chaining the vital organ and circumscribing it from doing its duty. Shivers ran down his spin, causing him to shake body in an attempt to ward it off.

Henry glanced around, watching as the younger children huddled together in Granny's largescale freezer (now turned off of course), clutching each other for a sense of comfort. Belle, in her kind and maternal ways, cuddled those who were crying and seeking answers to her, whispering to them softly about their ensured safety and of that of their parents and loved ones. After a while, a majority of the children had calmed significantly as they listened to the story Belle was reiterating to them; some even began to fall asleep, fate allowing them to dream through this disastrous event and hopefully wake up in the arms of their family. Henry, however, could not pacify his nerves. The instincts of an Alpha welled up within him, urging him to go out and prove himself worthy. He wanted to recompense for his earlier fear and contribute to this fight but he knew all too well that Granny would not go against the Alphas' orders to protect and monitor each child, especially Henry.

The old wolf was guarding the freezer's entrance, which was cracked about five inches to enable communication. Her grey muzzle was scrunched in focus as she scrutinized the front of the Diner, where four other wolves stood, ready to take on any threat that may arrive.

The distant howls and guttural sounds from streets away supported Henry's needed to get out.

"Granny?"

A pair of dull, pale yellow iris snapped over to Henry over a scraggly shoulder, "What is it, pup?"

"I …" he thought on his feet, trying to think of a logical excuse to leave the sanctuary. After a moment and an impatient snort from Granny, an idea came to him, one he had used many times in school to escape a particularly boring lesson. "I really have to use the bathroom."

Granny sighed, conflict apparent on her old wolfish features. She contemplated his request and concluded that it would be to her benefit to not have _any_ bodily fluids in her freezer. "Alright, but make it quick."

With that, Henry wriggled his lithe body through the door space and bounded towards the restrooms in the back of the Diner. Once he slunk inside, he changed back into human form, scaled to the top of the toilet and silently opened the window above it. He climbed through the ajar orifice, but looked back at the locked door, knowing full well the consequences that would surely await him after this. With this knowledge gnawing at his conscience, Henry turned towards the forest that hugged the posterior of the building and silently jumped down onto the foliage below. He was exposed to the caliginous dark of the forest; there was no turning back. Transforming back into a wolf, Henry faced the forest that bore ominously at him, harboring a menacing aura that sent his body into a tremulous state.

A snapping of a twig caused Henry to jump out of his fur. He shrank into himself, with his ears flat against his head and tail tucked between his legs, and backed up into the wall of the Diner to increase the space between himself and the potential danger. About fifty feet away the sound of rustling foliage continued to install a sense of fear into the young alpha.

… _No._ Henry shook his head and frowned in the direction of the noise. Now was his chance to substantiate his abilities, his birthright, to everyone. He expelled fear from his mind as he straightened his posture, and strode slowly and confidently into the forest, keeping his eyes trained on the area that the sound originated. Through the drapes of darkness, Henry was unable to find the cause of the disturbance, but a faint yet familiar scent reached his nostrils. Although he could not put a face to the scent, the young wolf's eyes widened; all of Storybrooke's wolves were currently fighting in the streets, the six adults that guarded Granny's were the only exceptions. Why would someone be wandering the woods?

A distant cry of pain rang out above all the rest, resonating through the tension filled air. Dread filled Henry's heart, motivating his legs to move as fast as they could into the direction of the yowl.

 _Mom!_

Through all of his worry and franticness, Henry was not aware of the two wolves, red and brown in color and differed in age, emerging from the shadows and turned their attention to the opened window of the Diner.

…

Emma licked the wound on her paw, trying to stop the bleeding and hopefully avert the threat of bacterial infection.

 _Because who knows where that guy's mouth has been._

A howl of victory sounded behind her. Emma only smiled internally, knowing exactly whose cocky voice that was: Ruby. The white wolf turned and witnessed her friend standing above a fallen foe, her tail up in dominance and pride as she bared her teeth at the shaken enemy. She snapped her fangs together at him, demonstrating her command. The rouge nodded hurriedly before his capture allowed him to get up. He took this chance to run away from the battlefield, his tail between his legs and his ears back.

Emma approached her friend, shaking her head at her performance, "How are you holding up?"

"Just fine!" Ruby exclaimed, "It's been a good while since we've see this kind of action. The day is as good as ours; they're no match."

Emma huffed in agreement, "Have you seen Regina around? I haven't seen her since we sent Henry to Granny's."

"To be completely honest, I thought I saw her leading a frontal attack on a group- Emma look out!" Ruby cried, failing to notice the prowling enemy that stalked its way into favorable striking distance of Emma, knowing that she was too late to stop the attack. Emma cringed as she turned in a futile effort to confront the assailant to possibly lighten the blow. She saw the agape jaws inches from her throat, ready to rip the life out of her being.

A raucous 'umph!' and thud brought Emma out of her near-death-experience daze. She shook her head and saw Regina clawing at the body under her and seizing a leg in her lethal maw. The normally refined and composed woman and the noble and fair Alpha seemed to be absent as the midnight canine mauled the rogue, quite literally tearing him to shreds. Ruby, unable to pass up the opportunity to punish the rogue for its intentions, joins Regina and aids her until he is deemed unconscious from blood loss.

Regina, her muzzle wet with blood, turns to Emma, an aggravated look gleaming in her vibrant yellow eyes, "Are you both so incompetent that you decide to converse in the middle of a battle?"

"I was just getting an update on you," Emma reasoned, Regina could just see that sheepish smirk on her features.

"It's true; by the way, I assume your attack was successful?" Ruby added, shaking the dirt from her fur, creating a cloud of dust to for around her.

"Well, you could have just called and I would have answered," Regin reprimanded them, the two wolves feeling like they were children being scolded by their mother, "Whilst were all here, has anyone have an update on Henry or the children?"

"You hypocrite…" Ruby muttered under her breath. Regina simply rolled her eyes, trying her best to pretend that she hadn't heard anything.

"Henry is fine. My parents sent Alphas to reinforce their protection, but no rouges have passed the library," Emma informed her.

"At least for now," Regina finished, glancing around to watch the battle, "some are seem to be searching; sooner or later they will try to advance further."

"We'll prevent that from happening Regina, I promise," Emma assured moving to stand next to her. She felt the concern in the queen's voice and her heart urged her to quell it. The three of them spent a moment in silence, trying to drown out the catastrophe around them. However, the moment was short-lived as the scent of smoke began to fill their nostrils and burn their eyes. Each wolf startled and searched for the source.

Regina's eyes widened, "Emma, the library!"

Emma faced the clock tower, mere meters away, and her jaw dropped. Fire consumed the building causing a tower of smoke to rise in the air above it. The flames licked at the structure, illuminating the streets, casting ghastly shadows that participated in a horrendous performance, the story replicating a battle between two households. Each opaque actor executed grim actions on the others, displaying such animosity and rancor in each lunge, bite, and swipe. An extensive and powerful heat radiated from the inferno, almost singeing nearby coats. In seconds, the whole building was overcome with fire, and its foundation crumbled with loud creaking and crackling, its support beams charred and eaten by the flames. Soon the entire structure fell to the ground, causing plethora of ash and embers to fly out in all directions, one hitting Emma right on the ear as she shielded Regina.

The looked at each other incredulously, unable to say a single thing. The rogues were progressing.

Ruby ran as fast as her legs could take her towards the wreckage, herding fellow warriors away from the danger that the destruction may produce.

"Regina we need to stop their advances. Take as many warriors you deem necessary and create a barrier, no one gets through," Emma ordered firmly, her patience now worn nonexistent. She was entrusted with the duty of preserving the safety of Storybrooke and she will stop at nothing to uphold that honor.

Regina nodded before bounding away to collect the warriors needed for the barrier. Emma watched her go, praying silently that it will not be the last time she will see her. She still has yet to proclaim her love for her once all of this was finished; at least if Robin continues to screw up.

Emma runs down the street past the apparition of the old library towards the direction of Granny's Diner, going to enhance the protection of the children. The swell in her heart to safeguard her pack's livelihood and prominence was nearly painful. After all of their hard work, after all of the hardships that they have conquered, after all of the sacrifices that were made, nothing will stop them, stop her. Not now, and not ever.

A familiar scent wafted in through her olfactory, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. The thoughts that plagued her mind played as disadvantages for they clouded her senses in reality, as Emma is tackled to the ground. Emma rolled with her attacker, but unfortunately, she ended up pinned to the ground, leaves crunching under their combined weight. Wincing at the impact, Emma looked up through squinted eyes to see the dark brown wolf above her, smiling cockily above her. A large paw was placed on her throat to immobilize her and effectively restrict her breathing. The glint in the wolf's eyes was familiar and that of vengeance, his breath scorching Emma's face and neck much worse than the flames in the center of town. She maneuvered her head to the side to escape the stench and was met with the sight of a pawless left frontal leg.

"Hello, love. Rememeber me?"

Emma scrambled beneath him, using her hind legs to embed her nails into his underbelly. She struck his hip, kicking his leg out from under him, and allowing her to roll out from underneath him. Hook's form straightened with a dark chuckle.

"What are you doing Hook? You should be contributing to the fight, not trying stop me from doing my duty."

"Doing your duty?" Hook ridiculed while shaking his head as if it were nonsense, giving a wave of his tail like it were sweeping away the comment, "No, no love, I am in fact fighting for my cause."

"You're apart of them!" Emma stated more to herself than to Hook, her voice hard in grated as she understood his betrayal, not only to her but to the pack.

"Well what do you expect Swan?" he asked, beginning to circle her, limping due to his disabled appendage, "You really think that this is just because of what happened to us? You're wrong. Of course that kick started it; our failed relationship made me understand that being a goody-two-shoes has no advantages. Even when I tried to get you back-"

"You are controlling and clingy Hook; you don't understand that I have a responsibility to my pack to lead it, and make sure it operates-"

"What you do is what your parents do!" Killian growled, "You simply _exist_. You don't realize the power that we could have, the territory that would belong to us. The pack could expand into a kingdom, just like old times! And the best part is that we could rule it together, Swan!"

"The pack will only ever be a pack; we are fine as we are and I'd rather be dead then have you by my side, I'll never allow you to do something remotely near that."

The air intensified as the wolves argued. Hook stopped pacing and gave Emma a hard stare. After a moment, he broke out into a strange cackle, "That can be arranged."

Emma's eyes widened as he lunged at her, but this time she was ready. Dodging out of the way she ploughed her shoulder into his flank, sending him tumbling into a nearby fire hydrant. He hit it hard, to the point that the hydrant bent at an angle, causing a geyser of water to erupt from the water pipes below the concrete surface. The mud brown wolf recovered quickly and chased after Emma, who was crouched in a defensive position. He reared up on his hind legs, and brought his weight down, forcing his good right paw down on Emma's injured shoulder. The white canine cried out as his claws dug into her wound, pain emanating from it and spreading to rest of her body as it opened further. Hook took this chance to clamp his jaws on the side of Emma's neck, forcefully flopping her down onto the asphalt of the street. The two returned to their original position, with Emma beneath the expatriate but this time Hook relentlessly bit at her, drawing blood from each wood, staining her white fur crimson. Emma could not escape this time; her limbs were trapped under his weight. She knew that this would end the worse way possible, but she'd be damned if she submit to this traitor.

But suddenly, the weight of her assailant's body was off of her and the sound of scuffling thundered feet away from her. She stood and ran Hook who was scuffling with another…

 _Henry!_

"Henry!" Emma scrambled over to them but not before Henry lunged at Hook's throat and clamped his fangs down, earning a yelp from this mother's ex. Hook thrashed him around, trying to fling the pup off of him; but Henry held on and due to Hook's efforts, his fangs dug deeper and ripped through his skin, creating a large wound on his throat. There is nothing more dangerous than an injured, cornered animal.

Hook, through dealing with gnawing puppy maneuvered his head to just the right position to clamp his teeth on Henry's left ear, tearing the cartilage as he whipped violently back and forth. Henry cried out and let go of Hooks neck, not liking the taste of blood as he tried to spit it out. The pirate's eyes were crazy, widened with rage as he lunged for the pup that shrunk down to appear smaller as he stared at his potential death. Mid-jump, Emma tackled Hook to the ground, her teeth bared and her muzzle scrunched as her maternal instincts surged.

"Call for back up!" Emma ordered Henry, not taking her eyes off of the arrested rouge, just about ready to end his pitiful life by rupturing his jugular. Henry tipped his head back and filled his lungs with chilling air before howling boisterously, calling out to anyone who could to their position. In less than a minute, Ruby's form was rushing down the street, followed by Regina who had concern etched onto her features. In the direction of Granny's the four alphas who were protecting the Diner arrived, swiftly approached the immobilized traitor and took over for Emma, making sure that he had nowhere to run.

"Henry! Are you alright? Why were you outside the Diner? My goodness, look at your ear!" Regina fussed over her pup, licking his face and his ripped ear.

"Ow mom that stings!" Henry whined but didn't shrink away from his mother's affections. Emma joined them and rubbed her cheek against the top of his head. Henry was instantly calmed at feeling of his mothers around him, knowing that he and they were safe and together.

"You saved me…" Emma said to him, looking down at him with pride shining in her blue eyes. Henry only smiled at her and gave her a kiss of the cheek.

A cry sounded down the street in the direction of the Diner. Ruby perked, listening intently at the noise, before bounding down the street faster than anyone has ever seen her run ever. Confused, the group followed.

…

"The guards are going to respond to a call nearby, be on your toes girl," Granny said to Belle, who had left the slumbering children and joined the elderly wolf at the entrance of the freezer. The light brown she-wolf nodded hesitantly, contemplating about the situation that may present itself if someone were to come any closer to the Diner. She had little to no fighting experience and she seriously doubted - despite her attitude - that Granny could take on a hoard of rogues. It concerned her. She looked over her shoulder through the crack of the freezer's door, seeing the few dozens of children inside. Baby Neal was left in the arms of Grace, who kept him quiet and happy in these trying times. The majority of them were simply sleeping while a few of the older children talked very silently. She smiled, but it faded quickly. She and Granny were the only defense that these children had; it wasn't much. But, Belle told herself, she would die trying to protect their lives; no matter how many may come, no matter how badly they might be hurting or suffering, she will keep fighting for these children: for the packs future.

A loud bang on the back door made the two wolves jump. They turned to peer down the hallway to investigate. The hallway was dark and vacant and the door stood ominously at the end. Granny moved to go and inspect the situation but was halted by a slender paw. She looked at the younger wolf, about ready to snap at her to move it.

"I'll check it out, you stay here with the kids," Belle suggested. She waited for Granny's nod of approval before stalking down the hallway. As she arrived at the door, she transformed to her human self, and quickly opened the door and closing it behind her and swiftly changed back, feeling much more comfortable in her wolf form. She scanned the forest line, straining her senses for any sign of a presence. She moved forward hesitantly, her movements shaky and tentative, now uncertain of her _brilliant_ idea of volunteering for this.

After a few minutes of searching, Belle came up empty. She marked it down as being a woodland creature or simply a pinecone falling from the trees above. Of course, these possibilities flew out the window as she turned to go back to the Diner and a force grabbed her scruff. She cried out in surprise, and whirled around to see her husband standing before her.

"Rumple! What are you doing?!" she cried as she planted herself to the ground to make herself hard to move. Rumple kept his hold on her scruff and tried his best to tugged her away from the Diner and further into the woods.

"WE are leaving Belle," Gold muffled past her fur, now adding more pressure to his hold and dragging her through foliage to get her to comply.

"What! I'm not leaving! We can't just leave during a fight; we especially can't leave the pack! Let me go!" Belle tried to struggle but Gold easily overpowered her. She tried with all her might to force herself to be immobile as she scrunched up and tensed her muscles, but her efforts only slowed the process.

"You will be better off where we are going! Now if you would please stop struggling and come quietly it would make things much easier; I don't want to force you Belle, but I will if it needs to be done," The dark brown and black wolf released her scruff and instead used his muzzle to push her flank in an effort to get her to move independently.

Belle did not budge an inch. She beheld her husband with an incredulous look, "Why are you-" A thought came to her, "You're apart of them: the rogues. You are conspiring with them."

"It would benefit us both if we went along with my plan, dearie. In the life that I can offer you, we will answer to no one, you will not have to ask for anything because you will have everything you could ever desired at your fingertips, our future together will thrive, Belle! All you have to do is trust me…"Gold explained, his dull yellow eyes dancing across Belle's features to witness her reaction.

Belle shook her head, "You said that you changed… but now I see the true you. The you that will always be! A coward!" Rumple growled darkly before lunging at her, grabbing her scruff roughly and forcefully tugging her closer to their destination. Belle yelped in fear and pain as Rumple's fangs dug into her skin.

"Release her imp!"

The grip on her neck relinquished as the voice shouted at him. Belle turned her head and observed her figurative knight in shining armor. Ruby sprinted towards them and stopped in front of Belle, shielding her from the villainous man before them. The grey and brown she-wolf raised her head high as she glared at Rumple who returned the gesture.

"You dare to challenge me…" he grumbled, a growl attached to it as he spoke.

"I do," Ruby informed, taking a step forward, ready to engage in a full attack.

Rumple bared his pale yellow teeth but was stopped before he could lung by a howl in the distance. His ears flicked toward the noise and he made a sound of disapproval.

"You will be sorry… not only the both of you, but this entire town. You have possible inference regarding who you are dealing with," he barked before turning on his heels and running in the opposite direction, the dark forest consuming his form in an instant.

Once sure that the threat was gone, Red turned her attention to her friend behind her, who had transformed back into her human form. She had her hands cradling her face as she wept, trying to conceal her sniffles and tears. Ruby followed suit and changed back and knelt down to meet her eyes. She embraced the shorter girl and allowed her to cry in her arms, understanding the betrayal of her husband was hitting her hard. Belle found comfort in her friend's embrace and relished at the feeling of a warm hand rubbing her back. Red's scent enveloped her and brought an intensity of emotions to fight away the despair that clenched her heart and to be frank, she was confused but grateful.

The pair stayed like this until Emma, Regina, Henry, and a few other alphas arrived.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked as she approached them.

"Rumple's conspiring with the rogues. He left at the sound of the last howl," Ruby explained, helping Belle to rise but kept a supporting arm around her.

"We have Hook in custody and we will be keeping him on close watch," Emma reported, but she gave the group a confused expression, "but the battle seemed to have stop; I haven't heard anything recently."

"The howl must have been a retreat signal!" Henry concluded, trying to contribute to the problem.

"I don't think so," Regina began, "that was not a retreat, they just accomplished their goal and finished what they had to do."

"So they came for something else?" Ruby inquired to the black wolf, tilting her head to the side and raising an eyebrow.

"Most likely; but the question is what."

Emma's eyes went wide as a scene from earlier popped into her mind, "My parents.. they went off alone!"

"They have them Emma," Regina said before turning away towards the road, "and if we don't catch them now, they will be killed."

 _And…..that's the end of this chapter. I hope there was enough action in there (don't worry, there will be more!) and some questions were answered and expectations were met. Not that much romance but we'll get to that (btw… where's Robin_ _… )_

 _* Also I any be coming up with another fic regarding SwanQueen but Im not 100% yet …anyway until next time!_

 _-Huntress_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello! I'm very sorry about the wait; it's been a busy few weeks… Anyway I hope everyone's had a lovely holiday. I've been catching up with_ The 100 _(so good I highly recommend it!) so I might being doing some Clexa, (hopefully season 3 will be full of it) and I also have another Swanqueen story that's been forming nicely so look out for that too! I've stalled long enough; here's the next chapter._

Chapter 7

Charming growled as he looked down at the rampant river below from the exposed rock ledge he found himself on. He had meticulously followed the foreign scent of the rogue trio for approximately one and a half miles before arriving to his current position, dozens of feet above the roaring freshwaters of the river. The scents stop exactly where he was standing, which made no sense whatsoever, unless of course, they jumped. Charming shook his massive head with a snort, scoffing at himself mentally for even thinking as such; these wolves were not so cowardly. In fact he cannot believe that he has fallen prey to their parlor tricks.

Snow emerged from the dense bush behind him, finally catching up only to find her mate staring fixedly over the edge of the cliff. She could feel the waves of tension originating from his rigid form. She knew full well that his frustration was building as the fact that their home was invaded, but also because these three rogues were no strangers to them. With a sigh, Snow inched closer to her mate and nuzzled her nose to his shoulder in an effort to soothe him.

"It's impossible," Charming muttered, "they were supposed to be long gone. But here they are, toying with us just like they did all those years ago."

Snow looked at him, the frown almost visible on his wolfish features, "They wanted us away, David. They're panning something; my question is what?"

"Well Darlings I believe we can answer your meaningless inquires."

Charming and Snow jumped and turned, growls building in their throats as they gazed upon a few ghosts from their pasts.

"No need to be so hostile...," a wicked smile flashing in the brown eyes of the tan, brown, and black wolf who stalked closer to them on the left, in synchronization with her white furred comrade on the right. "Yes, come now, we are all friends here," Cruella crooned, her black tipped tail swaying back and forth as her haunches rose up and down with her agile form.

Charming placed himself in front of Snow as they came closer to their left and right.

"Now is not the time for chivalry, Prince Charming," Maleficent said flatly, standing in her original position in between her fellow villains. The black fur on her head, back and tail easily blend in with the dark of the night; the only visible part of her being her light brown legs and under belly and her piercing yellow eyes which bore into the white duos' own. Charming huffed in response, trying to keep an eye on each rogue, especially the two who were closing the distance between them.

"What do you want Maleficent?" Snow asked, trying to see if reason could help their current situation.

"There are many reasons for our reappearance: vengeance…"

"Personal gain…" Cruella said.

"Ulterior motives…" Ursula cackled as she feigned a lunge at the couple, causing them to flinch.

"You won't be able to get away with this. We have hundreds against your few and they will not rest to ensure justice is dealt," Charming stated, puffing up his chest and baring his teeth in dominance.

Maleficent narrowed her eyes to slits as she took a step forward, making the Charmings to take one back. "You honestly believe that the troops we came with are the entirety of us?"

Cruella and Ursula chuckled menacingly as they continued their extremely slow stalking. "You clearly underestimate our strengths. Let's just say that you've made an awful lot of enemies and through us, a lot of followers who want the same things as us," Maleficent continued.

"So you've decided to lead a full on assault on hundreds of innocent lives, for the sake of revenge?" Snow argued, thinking back on her past actions and instantly regretting them. She had thought that she could forget the deed she had committed in order to ensure Emma's prosperity, but deep down she always felt the relentless aching of guilt eating at her conscience.

"Oh dear Snow White," Cruella laughed, "we aren't the leaders of this new pack-"

"Cruella," Maleficent warned.

"You're not responsible…"

The dark wolf sighed, "All you need to know is that the one running the show has great plans for the Storybrooke Pack. In order to get what she wants, you two are going have to be out of the picture; who else to get rid of you than us."

"Zelena will not succeed!" Charming bellowed, "She was stopped before and she will be stopped again; this time will be permanent."

"Fool. Zelena is not our leader. Her fleeting mind would not have the power to create what has been made! No… however, I can tell you that she is not a big fan, Snow."

Charming snarled, his muzzle scrunching up in rage, "Enough! I suggest you leave, now!

"And why would we do that when we have exactly where we want you?" Ursula snickered. The Charmings looked around them and discovered that they were trapped on the ledge; all of their escape routes blocked by the rogue trio. The only other way left was behind them, where the cliff drops off dozens of feet where the rush of the lively river swept.

Cruella and Ursula stopped their stalking as Maleficent walked closer, effectively trapping the duo from any means of escape. Charming and Snow racked their brains as they tried to figure out a plan, but they came up short. They were outnumbered; that was one thing. The tight space that they found themselves in made any moves of attack futile and would lead one of them defenseless and ultimately over the ledge while the other would be left to fight against the three. They stepped back in contemplation as they tried to put some distance between them to perhaps give them some extra time, but they stumbled as their back paws met the edge of the cliff. Snow and Charming gave a quick but meaningful glance, saying that all needed to be said. Through their mate connection, they spoke:

 _David, our pups…_

 _Emma will be fine and so will Neal. Our daughter will make sure that the pack will live on, they'll be fine. Snow…_

 _I love you._

 _I love you too, much more than you'll ever know._

"Stop!"

The rogue trio turned to see a white wolf flash in front of them, mid-lunged with her paws outstretched and her teeth ready to sink into any enemy that they reach. Emma tackled Maleficent, sending them sprawling to the hard surface of the rock in a heap of snapping jaws and contrasting fur. Snow and Charming took this moment to escape their confined area and attack Cruella and Ursula, eliciting yelps of surprise from them as they pounced on their unsuspecting forms.

"That's enough!" the voice said sternly. Regina, flanked by four other alphas, sprinted out of the foliage and unto the large rock, trying to stop the carnage that erupted. Three of the four alphas that accompanied Regina aided their Alphas and get the rogues away from them. Surrounded by Storybrooke wolves, Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula panted as they tried to regain their breath. Blood seeped from a wound on Cruella's shoulder, staining her white fur. She attempted to clean it, running her tongue over her coat while keeping her eyes glued on the wolves around them. Ursula glanced at Maleficent with her one eye that was not covered in blood, hoping that she had a backup plan.

Emma had gone over to her parents, who nuzzled her and kissed her as they relished in the relief that grew in their hearts.

"Ah, Regina," Maleficent said, interrupting the moment, before transferring her attention to Emma, "And the Savior. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Emma stepped away from her parents to confront the enemy, "Quit the small talk; your forces have been defeat, in fact they ran with their tails between their legs over the border."

"I don't know what your intentions were, but clearly your attempts were futile," Regina explained, "Age must have clouded your judgement."

Maleficent laughed, sending shivers down each of the eight warriors' spines, "Oh Regina, I cannot wait for what the future has in store for you. You know, you're the talk of the pack over on our side; a lot of people are interested in you…"

"Well tell them I'm not interested in anything they are concocting over there."

"You will not be able to resist temptation; you will be swayed one way or another to the evil that the future promises."

Emma growls and steps forward, "Regina's home is here, and no force will ever be able to take her away."

"Oh I don't believe that one bit," Cruella said, who continued to inspect her coat for anything out of place, "you may not realize it now, but your Storybrooke will be ours."

As Cruella spoke, a rustle came from behind the trio. Dozens of eyes shone in the moonlight in the shadows of the forest. Growls resonated from the forest edge as the trio slowly began to back into the foliage. The four alphas went to move after them but Emma stopped them with a huff, opting that it was the best choice to let them leave. The rogues turned and sprinted off, followed by those who came to their aid. Emma watched them carefully, as each ran by. A streak of moonlight shone through the forest canopy, allowing Emma a quick look at those who passed through it. She tensed as she recognized a few of them, one being Little John, there was no mistaking that wolf. She growled in her throat and glanced at her comrades, only to see that they didn't seem to notice. In seconds, only the faint sense of the rogues remained, and the Storybrooke were left in the nightly silence that was accompanied by the call of the nightingale.

…

Ruby crept closer to Henry's bedroom door as she balanced two cups of hot cocoa in her hands, praying that she won't spill anything and get an earful from Regina. She hoped to find the young boy surrendering to his tiredness since he surely needs the rest. Peeking through the crack of the doorway, she found the boy slumbering on his bed. Belle, who had kept her promise to tell him a story and stay with him until he fell asleep, was pulling the blanket carefully up to his shoulders to make sure he was comfortable. She tucked him in and smoothed out any wrinkle she saw before sitting down in the chair beside the bed and looked wistfully out the window to her right. Ruby sighed softly and contemplated the situation that was she knew was just the beginning of something huge.

Before Regina and Emma had left to go find the Alphas, Emma had instructed her to ensure that all of the children were to be reunited with their parents and that Whale and his team are to care for the injured. Many warriors had volunteered to work through the night and help the injured, to house those whose homes were damaged, and care for the children whose parents are being held at the hospital. Granny had opened the diner and began to make a wide variety of food for anyone who came in to restore their energy and indulge. After watching hundreds of reunions of families, Ruby decided that Henry was to be taken care of. He urged her to let him stay and help, but she insisted that he's had an eventful day.

Deciding that there was no way she was leaving her alone in her newfound and shocking predicament, Ruby asked Belle to come with them to Regina's home. At first, she had declined, unintentionally crushing Red's heart but Henry, her pint-sized wingman asked her to come and join them, claiming that he wanted to listen to another one of her stories. Finding herself unable to say no, Belle complied.

So here they were, one staring out the window with her heart breaking into tiny shards, and the other watching her, trying to ignore the need to burst in fend off her crush's demons and the growing burning sensation from the piping hot mugs in her clutches.

"Pst!" a short noise snapped Belle out of her daze and caused her to jump in her seat. She turned to the sound that originated from behind her and noticed Ruby's form in the doorway who was motioning to her with her head to exit the room. With one last glance at the slumbering boy, Belle silently moved out of the room and closed the door.

Ruby gave her a smile as her green eyes met with Belle's usually sparkling blue orbs, "I thought you would like a Ruby specialty."

Belle gave her a small smile before taking the mug that was offered to her, but gave Red a double take as she looked her over and saw bruises and cuts littering a majority of her exposed skin.

"Red look at you," she waved a hand over her form, causing the taller girl to look at herself, before giving her friend a shrug.

"It's a part of the job I guess, they'll heal by the morning."

"I doubt that you got all of this by waitressing," Belle laughed lightly before grabbing Ruby's free hand and led her down the stairs. Ruby's cheeks flushed at the warmth that spread, starting from the contact but spreading throughout her body. The spark ignited in her heart and almost made her wolf howl with joy. She tried to ignore the feeling as giggled together while they descended the stairs.

"Well, you never know. I might not move fast enough during the dinner rush and there's no telling what some people will do for food," Ruby joked as she was led to the kitchen and almost pushed into an island chair. She watched as Belle rummaged through some of the cabinets in search of some kind of medical kit.

"Bottom cabinet to your right, behind the tabletop cleaner," Ruby instructed, seeming to dish the information straight out from her brain. Seconds later, Belle appeared after bending to look in the indicated cabinet with a small box in her hand. She had an eyebrow raised in inquiry and a smirk adorning her lips.

"How did you know that?" she asked after placing the kit on the table and unhooking the latches.

"Well when your Emma's second-in-command, you find yourself always meeting in this house, since a certain blonde has the hots for a certain mayor," Red explained, as she watched Belle organize some of the supplies out on the countertop.

"I've noticed that. It must be very hard for Emma, given that Regina already has someone else," Belle sighed as she unwrapped a sanitary wipe from its package, allowing a pungent acidic smell filling the air. Ruby stared at her, the words penetrating her soul. She absorbed them and comprehended them; they applied to her. Well, maybe not anymore, since Rumple upped and left Belle in such a terrible way.

"Are you..." Ruby started, trying to figure out how this might play out, "Are you alright? You know, after… all that's happened?"

Belle paused as she reached out to grab Ruby's arm, which had a large laceration down the length of it. Red placed her arm out on the table, offering Belle to continue as she silently confirmed that she would be patient and accepting. Belle glanced at her with a hint of tears in her irises before looking down at the arm on the countertop. She dabbed at it, eliciting a flinch from the injured warrior at the contact of the wipe. She continued in silence for a few minutes, absentmindedly cleaning the wound while pondering over the question presented to her. She felt the heavy green gaze of her friend on her form, unwavering as the time passed by. When the wound was clean, Belle placed a piece of gauze over it before wrapping it lightly. With that cut done, Belle moved on and saw a large bruise on Red's jaw line. She allowed her eyes to linger on the spot before she moved to grab a bag, a towel, and some ice. She wrapped the bag of ice in the towel before placing it over the swelling area. Ruby placed a hand on the bag to hold it in place, not without brushing her fingers with the other woman's.

Belle placed her hands on the counter and looked down at them. Ruby was a second away from changing the subject before her friend looked up at her, tears flooding her eyes and cascading down her cheeks. Ruby jumped off up her seat at the sight of the brokenhearted woman, and made her way over to her. She enveloped her in her arms in an effort to comfort her. Belle let down her walls and turned to wrap her arms around the taller girl's neck to hide in the space where her shoulder and neckline met. Ruby laid her cheek on the top of brunette hair and nuzzled into it as she listened to the sobs of the girl entrapped in her arms. She rubbed a soothing hand over the expanse of her trembling back, and whispered calming tones to help comfort her.

"I thought he changed for me," Belle whispered through her tears that soon drenched a portion of Red's tattered shirt. That being the last straw, Ruby acted on her instincts and lifted Belle into her arms, supporting her legs with one arm while her torso was kept steady by the other. The weeping woman was surprised at first, but soon found herself placed on the living room couch. Ruby placed her down as if she were the most delicate thing in the world before grabbing a blanket folded over the back of the couch. She sat at the end, leaning against the arm of the couch as she opened her arms for Belle. The downtrodden woman took a second to think before diving back into the warm embrace. Ruby placed the blanket over them and wound her arms around the trembling form leaning against her. She allowed a hand to comb through Belle's thick brown hair, threading and weaving her fingers through the strands. After some time, Belle's sobs diminished to hiccups and sniffles. Her cheeks glistened with dried trails of tear stains that led down her features to a damp spot on Ruby's shirt covered shoulder. Exhausted by the day's events and her raging emotions, Belle's eyes fluttered closed as her body relished in the security and warmth that Ruby's body offered. Her breathing evened out as she gave into her fatigue and fell asleep in the arms of her supporting friend. Ruby looked down at her slumbering friend with a small smile adorning the corners of her lips.

"Don't worry, you'll get through this. I'll make sure of it because I'll help you every step of the way."

 _And that's chapter 7! I hope you enjoyed. As you can see there's some RedBeauty emerging but don't worry, the SwanQueen is coming! Imagine Regina walking in to see these two passed out on her couch ("you were supposed to be watching Henry not snuggling on my couch!")So we have some tension here… who's the leader of the Rogues? What's their plan? What's up with Little John, that traitor! So many questions such little time to write. Anyway until next time!_


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